Life As You Know It
by whitekitty
Summary: AU. GV. Everyone has secrets they long to keep to themselves, but when a persistant Videl refuses to drop the issue of Saiyaman's identity, will those secrets stay hidden? Poor Gohan is in store for a year he won't forget.
1. The Not So Perfect First Day

The sun's rays gleamed down on the forest in the early morning, the bright light giving the woodlands an almost ethereal glow. A small bird sang joyously as it soared through the sky. Diving, it skimmed along the waving grass, basking in the sun's heat and the brisk, dawn breeze. The bird snapped it's wings out perpendicular to it's small frame to gain height, the song it sang trilling into a climactic crescendo when a little hand came from no where and snatched the poor bird out of flight.  
  
Grinning gleefully, a certain black-haired chibi raced home, a little blue bird clutched in his chubby hands, as the said bird chirped pathetically. Wait until his big brother saw his prize of the day.

"Gohan!" screeched a woman's voice, shattering what little peace there was in the household. Groaning, a tall young man slowly eased out of his warm bed, looking at his pillow remorsefully with half-lidded eyes.  
  
"Coming!" the teen called back, but his sleepy voice caused the response to sound more like a loud yawn. _What was so important about today?_ _His mom rarely called him out of bed unless it was a family emergency or...no! It couldn't be...  
  
_Picking up speed, Gohan practically ran down into the kitchen where he found his mom humming a little tune, back bent over the pan of bacon she was cooking.  
  
"Why, good morning Gohan," Chichi cooed as she started piling the table with numerous plates of bacon, eggs, and pancakes, the furniture groaning under the monstrous weight.  
  
"Mom?" Gohan started warily, "Why did you get me up so early? There isn't anything big happening today, is there?" In his right hand he held his fork poised over his breakfast, the other hand was under the table with crossed fingers. _It couldn't have been today, he told himself, he had to be wrong.  
  
_"But sweetie, your first day of school starts in an hour. Aren't you excited?" she smiled. To his shock, her happy gaze transformed into a teary look as she wistfully looked out the window at something he couldn't see.  
  
"Just think. My little baby is going to get an education and go to college," Chichi sighed, seemingly unaware that Gohan was still listening, "He'll then meet a lovely woman who will bear his children. _Lots and lots of children_. I'll then have grandchildren and I'll love them like my own and..."  
  
"Gah! Mom, I'm not even twenty yet and your already planning my life!" Gohan interrupted.  
  
"Is there...something wrong with me shaping your life to the fullest?" the mother asked in a deathly quiet tone. "Would it be better if," she paused dramatically, slowly pulling out a familiar frying pan, "I let you ruin your life so you grew up to be a bum like that perverted Roshi? I can let you do that, you know. However, if you're such a grown man already, I suppose I don't need to cook for you anymore. Would you like that, sweetie?"  
  
The appearance of the frying pan was enough to send shivers down the demi- saiyan's spine, but...no food? The thought was inconceivable to the Son's resident genius. Bowing his head submissively, Gohan schooled his handsome face into his ultimate trump card. The puppy dog face, the key to survival in the harsh world of controlling mothers and deadly cooking utensils.  
  
"But mother," Gohan sighed pathetically as he looked up with luminous, teary eyes, "I love your cooking, you know that. But the one thing I love more than your cooking is you, mom. I can't stand to see you mad at me."  
  
Amazingly, the frying pan disappeared and Chichi Son, fearless wife of Goku, rushed over to give her eldest son a hug, the latter desperately attempting not to gag on his previous statement.  
  
"Oh my baby! I love you too! Now hurry up and finish your food and get dressed, you need to leave in," she paused, looking at the clock above the stove, "about five minutes."  
  
"Ah! Why didn't you tell me sooner," Gohan exclaimed, pushing away from the table to quickly get ready.  
  
Chichi's response was in vain as it fell on deaf ears, her son already having left to get ready in record time.  
  
Throwing on the closest clothes laying around, Gohan jumped out of his bedroom window and looked up to the sky.  
  
"NIMBUS!" he yelled, waiting a couple of seconds before a yellow cloud zoomed up to him like a pet dog.  
  
"Thanks, Nimbus," Gohan said as he leapt onto the cloud, where it whisked him away to the dreaded Orange Star High.Taking the silent trip to relax and gather his thoughts, Gohan closed his eyes when he felt a lump unceremoniously land in his lap. Blinking, Gohan looked down to find large, obsidian orbs similar to his own looking up with an adoration only younger siblings obtained.  
  
"Gohan, I got a surprise for you," Goten giggled with delight at his discovery.  
  
"What are you doing here, Squirt? You need to be at home or mom will freak out," Gohan asked, though he rested his hand on top of his little brother's head affectionately.  
  
"I found a birdy!" the chibi smiled, holding up his hand to reveal a small bird with a pained look in its tiny eyes. It was the kind of the look that said '_Don't give me that look. If you were stuck here instead of me, you'd be feeling mighty woeful yourself.'_ Gohan shook his head, knowing it was a bad sign when you felt you could interpret a bird's inner thinking process.  
  
"Ah, Squirt. I don't think your friend there is quite happy. How would you feel if you were flying around and some...pudgy boy with a lot of hair grabbed you out of the sky?" Gohan questioned.  
  
"Are you calling me fat?" Goten squeaked, looking up into Gohan's dark eyes with pain.  
  
With widened eyes of his own, Gohan returned Goten's stare and cleared his throat.  
  
"Well, of course you aren't fat. It was more of a rhetorical question. I wasn't exactly implying that it was you who was the pudgy boy," Gohan soothed, lying through his teeth, "You're rather well-muscled for a boy your age." Still, Gohan had to wonder where the infamous feminine remark had sprung from. _Spending way too much time with mom_, he thought.  
  
"Oh," Goten said, "Gohan, what's rhetorical?"  
  
"Um," the teen stalled, not wanted to explain the question, knowing his brother wouldn't understand anyway, "Oh look, your bird looks a little worse for wear. Why don't you just let it join its friends? How would you like to be hanging out with Trunks when a pudgy...oh never mind. Just let go of the bird, Goten."It had taken some more persuading and calming words, but with the promise of sparring later in the day, Goten finally left his brother in search of better things to do. Things were just starting to look up when he heard the sirens of several police cars. Surveying the city below, he witnessed men in black ski masks hold a gun to a man's head as others similarly dressed carried bags of money to a dark vehicle. Looks like I should do something, Gohan observed as he stealthily hopped of the yellow cloud and flew down to the bank. _I shouldn't be seen like this_, he thought, _but what can I do?  
_  
With a spark of inspiration, Gohan powered up to Super Saiyan, his normally gravity defying hair changing into a blonde hue as his dark eyes brightened to a shining turquoise. With a fresh determination, the transformed teen flew through the front door to find several bystanders huddled in a corner at the gunpoint of one of the robbers.  
  
Without a word, Gohan was spurred into action as he quickly rid the men of their firearms and knocked them unconscious. Leaving the moneybags in a pile, he quickly went back outside to deal with the lone robber holding the innocent man hostage.  
  
"You know, you really shouldn't point your gun like that. Someone will inevitably lose an eye, and that would be a shame, don't you think?" the blonde teen remarked cheerfully.  
  
"Who are you?" the robber grunted, pressing his gun farther into the man's temple. Whimpering, the hostage looked as if he just wanted to die right on the spot, or at least expected the man to do the honors for him.  
  
"I'm...I'm the Gold Fighter," Gohan responded, and before anyone could blink, the demi-saiyan phased out, reappearing with his hand tightly clutching the robber's wrist. With a twist, he snapped the appendage with a loud crack, causing the man to drop his gun and let the hostage go. Without further prompting, the hostage ran to the police as Gohan delivered a blow to the back of the robber's neck to knock him out.  
  
Before any of the police could interrogate him, Gohan phased out again to the utter bewilderment of the officers. As the men blinked in confusion, a tall, dark-haired teen whistled nonchalantly as he stepped out of an alley, heading towards OSH.It was close, but Gohan had just slipped into his homeroom when the bell rang. The room was full of chattering teens his age while an old man stood at a podium, reviewing his day's lesson plan. No one had seemed to notice him until he cleared his throat nervously. Finally looking up, the teacher squinted through impossibly thick glasses at the new student. With a sigh, the man walked over to Gohan, who realized his teacher was at least a head shorter than he, if not more.  
  
"Well, so you must be the new student. You're awfully tall for a girl," the teacher mumbled.  
  
"Eh? I'm not a girl," Gohan said worriedly, blushing as he caught the class stopping their conversations to watch the exchange.  
  
"Nice to meet you, dear. I'm Mr. Broder, and what's your name?" the man asked politely.  
  
"Ah, Gohan, sir. Gohan Son." _Why would he call me dear_, the teen thought.  
  
"Gohan? Sounds like a boy's name. Why would a mother name her daughter that?" the ancient teacher seemed to ask himself. The rest of the class did nothing to hide their amused snickers.  
  
"Sir, that would be because I am a boy."  
  
"So dear, why don't you tell us what you do?" the man wheezed as he picked up a folder with the name Gohan Son printed on the corner.  
  
"Um, I like to read and..."he hesitated, debating whether to mention his other hobby, "...I like to do martial arts."  
  
"Oh!" Mr. Broder cried out, "Our little Gohan is the first one to ever ace the entrance exams. Surprising to see a girl be the first one to do so well."  
  
"I'm not a girl, sir," Gohan moaned.  
  
"Well, sweetie. Why don't you sit next to young Erasa? Erasa, raise your hand please."  
  
Gazing up into the mass of students, Gohan mentally sighed s he saw a perky blonde in a green tube top enthusiastically raise her manicured hand.  
  
"Up here, cutie!" she called down to him, his already flushed face heating even more. With a resigned look in his eyes, the dark eyed teen trudged up the small pathway to the blonde's seat.  
  
"Hey there, Gohan, I'm Erasa, and these are my best friends Videl and Sharpner," the bubbly girl gushed. Leaning past his seat, he looked over to see a buff blonde with a bored look on his face and blue eyed girl with dark hair who seemed indifferent to his arrival. Strangely, the dark- haired girl seemed familiar, but he didn't know from where.  
  
"Yo, nerd boy," Sharpner sneered while the other girl just ignored him.  
  
With an over dramatic sigh, Erasa slumped in her seat and stared ahead at Mr. Broder, who was taking role.  
  
"Don't mind them," she told Gohan, "They're...usually like that."  
  
"It's alright," he mumbled, knowing it would definitely be a long year.  
  
It was already half way through the day when the bell rang, signaling the start to lunch. Gohan, along with the two blondes and Videl, left their math class to go outside to eat. To the excitement of Erasa, they discovered that Gohan had all of the same classes with the three of them.  
  
"Gohan, why don't you eat with us today?" Erasa offered.  
  
"Um, I don't know..." Gohan left his answer hanging.  
  
"Of course you'll eat with us! I knew you would!" and with that she linked her arm into his and pulled him along to their normal table.  
  
His three new friends, or what he somewhat considered friends, sat down quickly and started on their lunches, picking up the conversation.  
  
Not wanting to bring the focus upon himself, Gohan quickly ate one capsule of food and switching to the next one immediately so it would seem he was just taking a long time on his sandwich. Erasa and Sharpner seemed oblivious, but Videl wasn't as clueless as her friends.  
  
Hoping not to distract the two blondes from their chatting, she leaned across the table to talk to Gohan, who seemed to be observing their surroundings the same way as she always did.  
  
"Do you always eat that much, or is it just a day for bingeing?" she asked, as the amount of food he was eating mind-boggling.  
  
"You...noticed?" Gohan replied in what he hoped was a casual tone.  
  
"How could someone not?" she responded, but thought of her blonde companions, "Never mind."  
  
"Let's just say that I always have a large appetite," he told her mysteriously.  
  
"Right then." The two were silent for a moment when she picked up the thread of conversation again.  
  
"Have you heard of the Gold Fighter?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.  
  
_News travels fast_, he thought.  
  
"I've heard rumors, why do you ask?"  
  
"It's just kind of funny, you know. You're wearing the exact same thing he wore at the bank robbery today."  
  
"You were there?"  
  
"No, but I've heard from others." She looked pensive. "Probably just me, right?"  
  
Finding no appropriate response, Gohan remained silent and picked up his umpteenth sandwich of the day. I really need to do something about my appearance. Maybe Bulma could help?  
  
A/N: There you go. Hoped you liked. As you can tell, it doesn't quite follow the original story line, and there will be no Buu. I'm writing this for the romance and humor of it all, so I hope you enjoy!  
  
Read and review, you know you want to! 


	2. Enter Saiyaman?

With a loud, almost painful ring, the bell signaled the end of the first day. Thoughts of lunch still lingered on Gohan's mind, prompting him to visit Bulma for help. Deciding against using Nimbus again, the teen calmly walked towards a large tree. Looking for suspicious stares, Gohan waited until the after school throng of students had mostly dispersed. Glancing quickly around the campus one more time, he gathered his energy and shot up into the air with incredible speed. To the untrained eye, a sporadic gust of wind simply seemed to blow by.  
  
Soaring safely above the clouds, Gohan flew to the renowned Capsule Corporation at a leisurely pace. _Even if Bulma can help, what would she be able to do? _It wasn't before long, however, that the large, dome shaped building he was seeking came into view. Softly biting his lip, he waited until there was a red light before shooting down towards the back of the building as to attract the least amount of attention as possible.  
  
His gait a casual stroll, the city's everyday pedestrians only saw a tall boy move with an inhuman grace. But that wasn't possible, right?  
  
With the press of a finger, Gohan forced the residents of Capsule Corp. to acknowledge his presence with the doorbell. He hoped it would be Bulma who answered, so he could get right to the point of his visit. If he took too long, his mom would surely panic, and Chichi's panic brought the frying pan. _Oh the horror..._  
  
However, it wouldn't be bad if Trunks opened the door first either. A little too sarcastic for his own good, the other chibi in his life was still like his own brother.  
  
Too bad Gohan was never lucky, for the one to beckon to his call was none other than the beloved saiyan who could brighten any person's day with his smile alone...hah_. Like Goku would answer the door at the moment_.  
  
"Well, brat. What brings you to my humble abode?" Vegeta growled, leaning against the doorframe. It didn't take a genius to feel the waves of impatience and annoyance emanating from the smaller man.  
  
"Nice to see you too. I'm here to see Bulma, however," Gohan replied with a smile.  
  
"Hmph," the prince of saiyans muttered intelligently, "She's in that blasted lab of hers."  
  
"Thanks, Vegeta," the teen said with a nod. Keeping his grin, he walked down the hall, making a right at the first corridor. Once out of Vegeta's line of sight, Gohan let a sigh of relief escape him. _What Bulma sees in him...eighth wonder of the world...  
_  
Resuming his trek towards Bulma's lab, Gohan was again intercepted. With an agile leap, Trunks landed smoothly on the dark-haired man's shoulder.  
  
"Hiya Gohan!" Trunks greeted easily, "Are you here to see my mom?"  
  
"Right in one, kid. How have you been doing lately?" Gohan asked, starting an easy conversation.  
  
"It's so boring here. It's a shame, really. I'm actually running out of pranks to pull," Trunks face took the image of one who was properly mortified at the idea.  
  
"Oh Kami, that is a bummer," Gohan mourned with mock pity.  
  
"Tell me about it. I need fresh ideas." Trunks sighed, sounding truly pained that his cleverness was at a low. "And...well, you know Goten isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, if you know what I mean. Born in the shallow end of the gene pool, that one."  
  
"Eh, he's not that bad. Maybe you're just too smart for your age, hmm?" Gohan defended, "By the way, there is nothing wrong with the Son genetics, for your information."  
  
"But that's what dad said," Trunks said while cocking his head to the side, "Why would he lie?"  
  
"Silly me, Trunks. Forget that I said anything in the first place."

  
Waving off Trunks, Gohan knocked on the lab door, aware of the red light that was blinking above, a signal that Bulma was working hard on something.  
  
Creaking open, the door was pulled in by a familiar cyan-haired scientist, who had large goggles adorning her face.  
  
"Why hello, Gohan. To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting," she welcomed cheekily, gesturing for him to go into the sacred lab that few had ever entered.  
  
"Good afternoon to you too. I'd like to stay and chat, but I'm pressed for time."  
  
"Not surprised," Bulma commiserated, "Chichi has you on a tight leash. I'm surprised she even let you go to school after seven some years of personal tutoring."  
  
"Same here, but I must be thankful for the few chances of freedom that so rarely occur, yes?"  
  
"Of course. So what do you need?"  
  
"Ah, I need..."he trailed off, now wondering if his request would sound as stupid to her as it did to him. _Why yes, Bulma, I'm in desperate need of costume befitting of a superhero. You know the type, right? I'll just take whatever you have lying around in a large, please._  
  
"Well," gathering his courage, Gohan continued, "I need a disguise of sorts. I want to help out with the crime in the city, but I evidently can't go around looking like...well, me. I have a reputation to hold, you know."  
  
"I don't know what kind of costume I can get that would bolster your reputation as a momma's boy," she teased.  
  
"Bulma," Gohan snapped, though his eyes shined with wry amusement, "Something a tad more manly would be much appreciated, if possible."  
  
"I know what you need, but can you wait an hour or so? Despite what you may think, I don't have specially tailored outfits for your convenient disposal."  
  
"Right, do you want me to wait outside?" Gohan offered.  
  
"Nah, you can hang out here. Start your homework, or something."  
  
"Sure thing," he replied, picking up his textbooks and starting on the assignments given.  
  
What would have taken the average student roughly an hour to do, Gohan was able to complete every paper within a matter of fifteen minutes. Not wanting to bother Bulma, Gohan idly perused the papers lying half-hazardly on the desk he previously worked on. In the corner of his eye, the demi-saiyan noticed a rather complicated looking schematic that involved dozens of meticulous steps and a particular type of computer system. Glancing through the directions quickly, Gohan deduced that involved one of Bulma's greatest inventions, the Gravitation Room.  
  
His interest thoroughly peaked, the teen spent the rest of his time studying the paper, surprised to find a few minor mistakes.  
  
"Finished, Gohan," Bulma called, shaking said boy out of his reverie. _An hour sure flies by when you're...studying hard? Second sign of insanity,_ Gohan mentally noted, _When you find projects far more complex than your homework fascinating, you have successfully proved to yourself that you have no social life.  
_  
"That's great Bulma, what does it look like?"  
  
"Put this watch on and press the little button there in the corner," she instructed, pointing to the green piece of plastic sticking out unobtrusively.  
  
"This better be good," Gohan muttered, and with a gentle stab of his finger, he suddenly felt a whooshing sensation over his entire body. Blinking owlishly, he was shocked to find that his vision had darkened immensely, until he saw that he was wearing a visor.  
  
With a snicker, Bulma pulled open a cabinet door to reveal a floor length mirror.  
  
"Why Gohan, aren't you going to be quite the lady's man in this, eh?"  
  
Wary of her sardonic tone, the teen slowly trudged to the mirror, glad that at least whatever he was wearing was very comfortable.  
  
Of all the suits he expected, this was at the bottom of the list. Maybe even on its own list titled Disguises That Embrace Your Nerdy Side.  
  
First of all, he seemed to sense an overwhelming amount of green and white. White cape, green suit, and a helmet to boot. Swallowing his saiyan pride, Gohan gave Bulma a weak smile, hoping to not offend her unique choice.  
  
"Wow, Bulma. It's...tasteful? "  
  
"You don't think it's...lame, do you?" she questioned, looking nervous of his reaction.  
  
_My Kami, what a faker._  
  
"What, may I ask, was your inspiration for such a fine specimen of clothing?"  
  
"Well, your favorite colors are green and white, and the visor keeps you hidden, of course," with a snort, she continued, "So what's your name going to be?"

"Name? Ah...haven't thought that far ahead...I'm sure I'll think of something," he looked down at her, "I guess I should be thankful for all of this...too bad I'm having a hard time of finding the love right now."  
  
"Gohan? Is that you?" came Trunks incredulous voice from the doorway.  
  
"What if it is?" responded Gohan, lifting up his shaded helmet to give the chibi a raised eyebrow and a challenging look that clearly stated _'One word to Vegeta and you'll know nothing but a world of pain.'  
_  
"Nothing. I was never here."

  
Accompanying him to the front door, Bulma and Gohan amiably discussed pointless topics.  
  
"So how are your projects going?" Gohan started, genuinely interested, "You looked to be really absorbed in your work when I came in."  
  
"It's such a hassle," she sighed, blowing a lock of hair from her face, "I'm trying to improve some major details in the GR, but none of it's making any sense!"  
  
"What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"  
  
"You see, when you set the gravity to a certain level, the entire room is affected. But Vegeta's always complaining about how frustrating it is to have to constantly reset the pressure of lack of when training."  
  
"Would this problem, by any chance, have to do with the schematic on your desk? The one with all of the main board configurations?"  
  
"W-well, yes. You understood it?" Bulma sounded skeptical.  
  
"Um, was I not supposed to? To me, it just seemed that some of your calculations were off..." he stated, and continued on giving input on what additions that could possibly be made.  
  
"No way! I knew you were smart, but Gohan, that's brilliant!" she gushed, supremely surprised by the eighteen year olds perceptiveness. "You know, if you had any extra time, would you like to come over here and help me? It's plain to see I can't talk to Vegeta or Trunks about any of this, and what you just said could really improve the GR. What do you say?"  
  
"If it's alright with mom, then sure. It's not like my homework will be a hindrance."  
  
"Excellent! I'll call your mom later tonight then."  
  
"Works for me," the demi-saiyan paused, internally deciding whether to go on, "Bulma? Can I talk to you about this girl in my class?"  
  
"Having issues already, brat?" Vegeta sneered, walking in from the kitchen, "I knew your idiot of a father was a hopeless case, but seeing his spawn struggle is just priceless."  
  
"Read between the lines, Vegeta," Gohan said, holding up his index, middle, and ring fingers on one hand together, "Bulma," he started, pointedly ignoring the other man, "There is a girl in my class who is already suspicious of me. Do you think the outfit will be enough?"  
  
"Can't say for sure, Gohan. Just try to be your normal, charming self and you'll have no worries."  
  
"My, aren't you helpful," Gohan said with a roll of his dark eyes, "I'd like to stay and chat, but I really should get home."  
  
"No problem, see you later!" Bulma replied as he opened the door to go.  
  
"Gohan wait!" Trunks voice came as the chibi's mom and dad left for the kitchen.  
  
"What do you need, kid?" the teen asked.  
  
"Er, you know I mentioned I was running dry on the pranks earlier?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"We, meaning me and Goten, might need the assistance of one with a higher IQ than 20. Would you care to help at all?"  
  
Gohan bit the inside of his cheek as he thought. He really was getting too old for tricks, but the image of a caustic Vegeta swam through his head, fueling his need for revenge.  
  
"Sure, kid. If help in pranks is needed...I'll see if I can do something."  
  
"I'm holding you to that," Trunks said sternly, holding out his little hand for Gohan to shake. Reciprocating with a firm hand of his own, Gohan straightened from his crouch that he somehow arrived in while talking to the chibi.  
  
"I'll see you around, Trunks."  
  
"Bye Gohan!"

  
Once again up in the air, Gohan was left alone with his wandering muses. _Where have I seen Videl before? And how did she already suspect something? I don't think I'm that obvious...am I? She's so familiar! Why can't I place it?  
_  
Frustrating himself, Gohan sped up his flight, pushing his thoughts from his head to make way for the welcome idea of dinner at home.  
  
A/N: Gah, don't you love Gohan...or maybe it's just me. Thanks to the reviewers I've received so far (I'd name you, but my computer's being screwy, sorry!) Hope you like it and reviews, as always, are more than welcome. Until next time!


	3. White Glove Test

A few weeks had easily passed since Gohan had begun attending OSH. He was pulling the astounding grades that were expected of him, and he was finally making some real friends. Well, at least Erasa was a good friend. The others...he wasn't sure about them yet.  
  
After the first few days, Gohan realized that Sharpner wasn't exactly the arrogant jerk he appeared to be. Egotistical, definitely. An ass, most of the time no. The boy clearly thought of himself as a god of sorts. A great deal of attention to his body brought bronze muscles from countless hours in the sun, blonde hair that glistened with care, and proud features that really did make him worth noticing. He currently held the title as 'one of the strongest guys in school,' something he took dearly to heart. Did he still make fun of Gohan? Every chance he got, that wasn't going to change anytime soon. However, the one thing Sharpner did more than preen himself for the mass public and ridicule the demi-saiyan was hit on the lovely Videl. _Talk about a mystery...   
_  
Videl was easily one of the most intelligent young women in all of OSH. Her dark hair was held in two pigtails, framing her soft face and large, sapphire eyes that had a startling intensity. She and Gohan were on civil terms, nothing more, but the few times she had looked at him or anyone else, that same fiery stare always surprised him. _Definitely a little firecracker._ The girl may be short in stature, but she held a commanding presence that demanded authority while having a sharp tongue for those who royally ticked her off._ I wonder how long Sharpner has been going after her...isn't it obvious that the results are less than inspiring? Maybe it's all a game to him...   
_  
Finally there was Erasa, the one person in the entire school who had really warmed up to him. Bright, confident, and full of love, the blonde was more than willing to share her opinion and give a hug if a put a smile on the person's face. Gohan felt that he would automatically be an outcast; the person everyone would hate because he was too smart for his own good. Well, people did still hate him for that, but Erasa never batted an eye when it came to his brains. It didn't seem to matter to her whether he was light years beyond the rest or if he couldn't tell the difference between a boy and a girl. That was what had really sparked Gohan's attention. _Was the girl truly ditzy, or did she have a strong self-esteem that allowed her to be who she really was?  
_  
_Insightful? At this hour of the morning? _Gohan pondered this as he crawled out of the warm cocoon that was his bed. With half-lidded eyes, the teen pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt that wasn't wrinkled, heading down to breakfast like he had since he was a little chibi with a 'mop top.'  
  
As usual, Chichi Son stood over her domain, reveling in the fact that it was one of the places that she positively felt home at. Once the arrival of Gohan was made known with a wide yawn, the mother immediately smothered him with love and enough food to feed his entire homeroom.  
  
Across from the still dozing teen was Goten, shoveling food in his mouth as if there was no tomorrow.   
  
"Morning, Squirt," Gohan greeted with another yawn, eyes brightening at the emergence of food on the table.  
  
"Hi Gohan!" the chibi called through a mouth of food.  
  
"Goten Son! You swallow all of your food before talking! Just imagine what your wife will think when she sees you inhale food faster than a vacuum cleaner!" Chichi shrieked, leaving a wide-eyed Goten to cower before her earth-shattering voice.  
  
"I-I have a wife? How come I've never seen her? Do I have to kiss her and do other mushy stuff? I haven't finished breakfast yet!" Goten cried, working himself into a state of frenzied hysteria.  
  
Gohan heaved a sigh before starting on his own breakfast, though with more tact than his sibling._ I wonder what Goten will turn out like when he gets to my age? Will he be the same as dad was?_ Gohan mentally shuddered._ He definitely resembles the man, but lets hope that the looks don't indicate similar mental states_. Gohan loved his dad and brother with incomparable emotion, but that didn't mean he had to be blissfully ignorant to the fact that both had shown signs of childlike innocence that would never grow out.  
  
"No, Goten. Mom was just implying that you will forever be judged by another woman, be it your mom or wife. Don't take it personally, it's the destiny of all men to be controlled with an iron fist. It's unavoidable," Gohan murmured sagely, taking one last bite of egg before grabbing his book bag to leave.  
  
"Gohan Son!" Chichi yelled, but said teen already dashed outside, the name of a certain cloud already on his lips that would aid in his successful escape from the wraith of Kami. A.K.A.: Chichi Son.

  
"Big brother," came the squeaky voice of Goten as he joined the other on the flying cloud, "How could you leave me like that? I was so scared," the chibi grimaced, "She just gave me a look that said 'Goten Son! What your brother said was absolutely right and don't you ever forget it!' Traumatizing, I tell you, traumatizing..."  
  
Gohan snorted, rolling his obsidian eyes skyward.  
  
"Squirt, you don't even know what be manipulated like a woman is like. Not yet anyway. Just don't worry about it, it will still be a few years before she starts hammering down on you like she did to me. Enjoy the years you have left, Goten, for they are the last ones you will spend a real man," Gohan coached, proud of himself that he had aided his brother by giving him a priceless guideline.  
  
Too bad Goten had been fast asleep as soon as the word 'manipulated' came into the picture.   
  
"Wake up, man! I'm trying to save your life. This is how you repay me? Disgusting." The teen shook his head as if finding Goten a hopeless cause.  
  
"Huh?" Goten muttered, "Did you say something? OH!" the chibi cried unexpectedly, "Are you going to help us?"  
  
"Help? With what?" the older brother questioned.  
  
"The prank, of course. What else would I find remotely interesting in life?" Goten asked.  
  
_Eh, I can think of plenty of things you would find interesting._ The teen began to count down with mental fingers._ Food, fighting, sleeping, food, playing...food. Heh, a saiyan is ruled by his stomach...  
_  
"Nothing, nothing at all. What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Nothing as of yet. True genius takes time and patience, Gohan," the chibi advised.  
  
_Time? If this kid's waiting for intelligence to come rushing at him with open arms, he's going to have to learn how to sit still for a very long time.  
_  
"Oh, definitely, Goten. You're so smart," Gohan humored.  
  
"No need to remind me," the other responded, sticking his head up loftily, "I know...I know..."

  
"Hey there, cutie!" Erasa welcomed, glomping on to him as soon as he sat down in class.  
  
"H-hi, Erasa," he wheezed, desperately trying to bring oxygen into his lungs.  
  
"Ease up. He'll lose brain cells if he suffocates," Videl instructed, gently pulling the other girl's arms away.  
  
"Nah, let her at it. It's not like he needs to be so smart. Losing a few cells will even out the playing field for us smart people," came Sharpner, thoroughly enjoying the sight.  
  
"Hah, not like you were ever on the field anyway, Sharpie. That's reserved for people who can actually pass a class," Gohan retorted, rubbing his sore throat.  
  
Videl and Erasa let out a laugh, enjoying the look on Sharpner's face.  
  
"Ladies, do you have a problem?" Mr. Broder said, the rest of the class turning around to see what was happening. The class had apparently started ten minutes ago.  
  
"No sir," Videl apologized, but was stopped when the screeching of her watch reverberated through the room.  
  
"Chief, it's Videl. What's the problem?"  
  
"Videl, there are some men threatening to bomb the bank! We need you here ASAP!"  
  
"Roger, I'll be right there." Videl clicked her watch shut as she leapt from her chair towards the door.  
  
"Sorry, Mr. Broder," she called as she dashed away without waiting for a reply.  
  
As soon as the door shut, Mr. Broder calmly turned back towards the board as if nothing had occurred. Waiting a few minutes, Gohan put his book away.  
  
"Mr. Broder, can I use the bathroom?" he asked.  
  
"I would hope so," the teacher replied without turning around, "I'm no doctor, dear, so you might want to see the nurse if you're having issues. I'm not too clear on female anatomy."  
  
"I'm not a girl," he moaned, but the antediluvian man would never seem to accept it. "May I use the bathroom?"  
  
"No," he said simply.  
  
Gohan sat back, watching his fellow peers either cradle their heads in their arms for sleep or converse quietly with their neighbor. _What do I do now? How can I leave? The only way I could leave is if I had to see the nurse, and I'm definitely not going to pretend I have 'feminine problems' like he seems to believe I have.   
_  
Looking around for any possible answer, the dark-haired man saw Erasa use a file to shape her sharp-looking nails to perfection. _Wait...maybe. That just might work. It'll have to be really hard, though..._Clawing through his bag, he found a fake spider Goten left. Kami was really looking down on him.  
  
Storing away his pride, Gohan acted as if nothing was normal, pretending to take notes like he usually did. _There!_ He saw her hold out the hand closest to him to admire her work. With a stealthy flick of the wrist Vegeta would be proud of, the rubber gag fell right on the arm she was holding out. Squealing in undisguised fear, her arm jerked involuntarily, her hand lashing out and catching the first thing it caught. With a calculated angle of the head, Gohan leant towards her slightly as her almost claws swiped his cheek, leaving three, red marks burned into his skin.   
  
He hissed slightly, but the pain was hardly troubling. Now shrieking, Erasa was being soothed by Sharpner until she noticed the gashes she had inflicted on her friend.  
  
"Oh my! I'm so sorry! Mr. Broder," her focus changed to the teacher, "Can Gohan go to the nurse? I'm afraid I hurt him!"  
  
"No cat fights, ladies. And yes, Gohan can go, but be quick."  
  
"Thank you, sir," Gohan said with a nod and gathered his stuff up. Seeing Erasa look at him with teary eyes forced him to sit back down again.   
  
"Look, Erasa. It's just a scratch, see?" he said in what he hoped was a casual tone, "I'm fine. I may not look it, but I'm tougher than you think. I'll just get a band aid and be right back, ok?"  
  
With a loud sniff, she nodded, which gave Gohan permission to leave.

  
Without a second thought, Gohan raced through the sky as Saiyaman, cursing himself for taking so long to get out of class. _I hope Videl's alright...but she's strong...but there are bombs...oh Kami..._  
  
Reaching the bank in record time, the teen saw the tell tale swarm of policemen and their cars surrounding the premises. Flying straight through the front door, he saw Videl deliver a wicked right cross to man with the cliché ski mask.  
  
"Am I too late, or did you leave some for me," he quipped, kicking another man in the gut that sent him barreling into two others.  
  
"Hah, I could handle this on my own, you know," she growled, twisting out of a headlock to knee the man in the groin.  
  
Both the robber and Gohan winced as he bent over, clutching himself in agony.  
  
"Of course you can, Miss Videl. I have no doubt," he almost squeaked, hoping he was never on the receiving end of that move she seemed to use often. These events were quite often in the city, so it was common knowledge that Videl had teamed up with the mystery hero dubbed 'Saiyaman.'   
  
"You there!" screamed a man holding a rifle of some sort. He was too far away to be exact.  
  
"Where's the bomb?" Videl ground out, moving into a defensive stance.  
  
"Like I'm gonna tell ya right out. I think I'll have a little fun 'fore I reveal anything!"  
  
With that the robber cocked his rifle and aimed at the head of a policeman held hostage.  
  
The shot burst through the air with a painful blast. Gasping in horror, Videl ran up to the armed man, hoping she could knock the gun out of his hands before he shot again. Other cries of terror rang out in varying degrees of terror, hoping that some miracle would occur to save the innocent man from a rather painful head-shot.   
  
In this kind of situation, though, Gohan sprang into action as smoothly as taking a breath of air. Phasing out like so many times before, Gohan was planning to grab the man and move him away so neither he nor the man were shot. One downside to this idea, however, was that there were others behind the victim, so even if one man were moved away, another would be shot in his place. _It's times like these when you're glad you are considerably stronger than the average human is. Or any human for that matter,_ Gohan thought, _I'd like to see Yamcha attempting this...  
_  
Placing himself directly between the frantic victim and the bullet, Gohan held his hand in front of his body, hoping that this would work. _I wonder if saiyan's can stop shot bullets with their bodies...only one way to find out...   
  
_With a thud, the bullet was forcibly stopped by a hand adorned in white fabric, the owner of this handing closing his eyes in relief. Unfortunately, even though the bullet ran into a dead end, it was still rather hot, burning a hole through the glove.  
  
"Gah!" Gohan yelped, dropping the bullet and yanking off his glove.  
  
Petrified by the sheer act of unknown power, the rifled man cried out in astonishment, running away straight towards the protective net of police officers. Having witnessed this as well, the rest of the robbers ran out scared, leaving all the victims alive and well, once again.   
  
"Saiyaman!" Videl ran up to him and grabbed his hand, looking at the seemingly steel palm. A great bruise had started to swell, the edges burned by the bullet's heated head. Nonetheless, the hand looked better than it should have been.  
  
Unbeknownst to Videl was a blushing Gohan, his reddened cheeks hidden by the visor on his helmet._ Is this the wrong time to notice she has really soft hands?  
_  
"Uh," the superhero stuttered, pulling his ungloved hand away, "I r-really should get going. Important business to attend to, you know."  
  
Taking a step back, Gohan powered up to leave for school, but a sudden thought stopped him.  
  
"By the way, the bomb's on the second floor on the right side of the building. I trust that you and your men are capable of dealing with it."  
  
With that off his mind, he shot into the air, realizing that the period he was supposed to be in would end quickly.

  
She watched him soar through the air until he was a speck on the horizon. _What the hell...how could he have blocked that shot with little more than some swelling on his palm? I need clues to prove who he really is! I must know!  
_  
Shaking her head, she started to walk out to her jetcopter, vaguely noticing a team of men race in to dispose of the explosive. After the rush disappeared, it was a certain white glove on the floor that was trampled to death by the large group of men that caught her interest. _Saiyaman's glove! Perfect...this is exactly what I'm looking for...  
_  
With a look of faked innocence, Videl nonchalantly strolled towards the glove, picking it up and quietly placing it in her pocket. She would worry about the glove later. At this moment, she was more worried about a big test in her next class.  
  
A/N: Lame? Boring? I hope not, and I apologize if things seem to be moving really slowly. I'm just trying to ease into things. It's not like Videl is suddenly going to become mushy or Gohan suddenly become this bold hottie. Anyway, hope you really like it and I want a lot of reviews...or at least some cause I'm getting the implication that no reviews equals no one wanting to read...which means pointless updating...hope that's not the case!   
  
Also, if anyone is actually reading this, I'm going to be gone for roughly three weeks so...yeah, that's why I'm sending this out early since I'm leaving tomorrow. I really hope you enjoy...reviewing too.


	4. Catch Of The Day

It had been roughly seven days since a certain hero had prevented a bystander's gruesome fate with nothing but his hand. At this moment, Videl distractedly spun the combination on her locker's...well, lock. Stashing away one book in exchange for another, she mentally geared herself up to take the first step in her master plan.

_Definitely a long shot,_ she mumbled internally,_ but I really don't have much of a choice. Let's just hope my teacher doesn't miss a certain glove of his._ She mentally sighed.

Shaking her head slightly to clear it of its wayward thoughts, she stepped into her second to last class of the day: chemistry. As it was a Friday, her class would be participating in their weekly lab where they would partner up and do their best to complete what was written on the board. Usually spending his time reading suspicious magazines hidden in his desk, their teacher proved to be lazy and impatient, simply pointing at the instructions on the board with hopes that his class wasn't as clueless as he believed them to be.

Heading to her usual spot near the back, Videl found that only Gohan was at the table, idly looking out a window with glazed eyes, most likely daydreaming. _Little surprise there. Who knows what would happen if Wonder Boy was late to a class._ Customarily, she would take a seat on the far side of the table, next to Erasa who sat next to Sharpner, leaving Gohan at the opposite end. However, if her plan was going to be able to even lift off the ground, she would temporarily have to change her spot. As nonchalantly as she could, she dropped her bag and took the seat right next to Gohan. Looking up, she saw his eyes widen, most likely expecting Sharpner to be in her current position.

"Hope you don't mind if I sit here. I've been having trouble lately reading the board from the right side of the table." _Smooth, Videl. If you're having trouble seeing from this far back on one side, switching to the other will really make a difference._

"Uh, sure. Go ahead," he replied politely, but with a bemused expression.

She could barely contain a smirk as she took out her notebook beside the dark-haired teen.

"Hi Videl! How's..." Erasa exclaimed, but frowned in confusion as she saw her normal partner sitting elsewhere. Shrugging slightly, she sat down on the same stool as expected, but cast a quizzical look at her best friend.

The bell rang with a shrilly cry, signaling the beginning of class. It was at that moment that the majority of the class ran into the room, some finding themselves stuck in the door as four boys tried to enter at the same time.

Ignoring the late stragglers, the teacher let out an annoyed sigh and put down his magazine.

"Directions on the board. Shouldn't be that hard, but please pay attention. If you happen to find yourself with scalding hands from the highly acidic chemicals you'll be using, please feel free to go to the nurse," he said, almost glancing sinisterly up at his now wary class. Without another word, he picked up his magazine, flipped through a few pages, and settled back down.

"What helpful encouragement," Videl muttered, glaring at the reading adult.

"Um, Videl?" questioned Gohan with a tap on her shoulder.

"Yes?" she responded, letting out a long-suffering sigh.

"Ah, if you're sitting next to me, does that mean we're partners, or was that just a spur-of-the-moment decision?"

"Didn't really notice where I sat," she lied calmly, "But if you don't want me as a partner, I'll can just as easily move back."

"No!" he blurted, blushing in embarrassment as a few students turned around to look at him, "No, it's perfectly fine with me. I'll go get the supplies," he finished, vaguely gesturing to front of the class where the chemicals were placed.

"Sure thing," she said with a nod, standing up to get them both a pair of goggles and gloves. _Most excellent. _

After waiting patiently in line, Gohan came back to their desks, arms ladled with numerous objects they would both need. Surprisingly, there was already a pair of gloves lain out for him, accompanied by a thick pair of plastic goggles.

"Thanks, Videl," he said with grin, gently putting down his retrieved supplies. Looking around, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Should we start?"

Rolling her eyes, she put the protective gear on and gave him a slight nod.

"Might as well, unless you want to just forget it. I mean, it's only a single lab. One failed grade won't make that much of a difference," she replied, her sapphire eyes shining with an almost predatory glint.

Face paling, Gohan hurriedly followed Videl's example, quickly pulling on a glove. It was actually quite hazardous using the gloves that they did in this class. Instead of the thick gloves that were advised to be worn, they were simply given a cheap alternative. Since it was the teacher's money being spent on such supplies, he just went out and bought boxes of the flimsy, plastic gloves doctors and dentists had been seen with. Hardly the idealistic protective gear.

With a mental eye roll, the two ebony-haired teens set to work, both thinking they're own respective thoughts. They had finally finished the required steps and were currently jotting down observations in their notebooks.

Not bothering to look up, Videl asked, "Hey, what time is it?"

She heard the slight rustle of his shirt as Gohan turned to look at the clock. Going back to his writing, he leaned over and replied, "About five till. Only a few more minutes of our personal little hell here."

Videl involuntarily shivered as his warm breath grazed her ear. She paused, staring blankly at the paper in front of her. _Well that was weird..._she thought, unintentionally blushing.

"Uh, let me take your goggles and stuff. I'll put them back," Videl offered, mentally crossing her fingers.

"Um, sure! Thanks, Videl," he replied, handing the used gloves and protective eyewear.

With a nod, she walked to the front of the class where the trashbin was, throwing away one glove. Slyly, she stuffed the counterpart into her pocket, hoping it would be as helpful as planned.

And true to his words, the bell gave off its tell tale ringing, leaving numerous students dashing to put their things away to leave.

(Sorry, but I'm having issues defining where new sections start --;)

It was two hours later when Videl scrambled into her jetcopter, responding to yet another call from the police. Apparently, some crazy man had hijacked a tourist's bus and were demanding an outrageous ransom. Videl, being the crime fighter that she is, couldn't let them get away with it. _If they're driving away, how are we supposed to give them money in the first place? Ah! There it is._

Right below was a large, charter bus, careening down the road at an alarming speed. _Now how to get on..._

With a mental shrug, Videl directed her copter down so that it landed smoothly on top of the bus. Working quickly, she climbed out and crawled along the roof of the bus until she reached the door. Hanging over the side briefly to view inside, she straightened and flipped herself over, bursting through the front doors. With a graceful roll, she sprung up, hearing gasps from the already panicked passengers. Videl immedietally spun around to find a gun placed at the center of her forehead.

"Nice move, chickie, but very stupid," the man growled, pressing the firearm between the middle of her eyes.

_Idiot!_ She wanted to slap herself. _You could have spent an extra couple of seconds to see if they had guns. And you're the crime hero..._

With an audible sigh, she slowly raised her hands, signaling defeat. _I can't believe I'm thinking this, but I wish Saiyaman were here..._

__

_(new)_

"Now where are you," Gohan said aloud to himself, soaring through the air in search of a missing bus. He could just about sense Videl's ki signature and those of the passengers, but they were still quite a distance away. Picking up his speed, he followed the road he was flying over until he saw a large dust cloud. Curious, he flew over to find that the bus he was searching for was now diving off the road and onto the dirt, veering dangerously close to the cliff side. He sped forward in hopes of catching them, but felt a sickening lurch in his stomach when he saw them teeter on the edge before falling off completely. _Videl!_

__

_(new)_

"You have to stop this bus now! We'll give you the money, but you can't receive it if you're running away!" Videl desperately reasoned, seeing the cliff side approach a little too quickly for her taste.

"Shut up! I know what I'm doing, so sit back and be a good girl. Let the grown-ups handle this," the gunman snarled, shoving her into the closest seat next to an old lady.

Grumbling swear words under her breath, Videl leaned back, thinking furiously. _How the hell am I going to get out of this? If I try to contact someone, I'll just get killed, a fat lot of help that'll do me. _Suddenly, a bright flash blinded her. Blinking frantically to clear her vision, she saw the old lady next to her lower her camera hesitantly.

"Ah, I thought that I should get a picture of this. Quite exciting and all, don't you think?"

"My eyes!" yelled the driver, taking his hands off of the steering wheel to claw at his the blinded orbs. Unfortunately, this would have been a good time to take his foot off the pedal, but common sense rarely plays a role in these situations.

Still flooring the gas pedal but zig-zagging precariously, Videl rubbed her eyes but quickly wished she hadn't. _Oh sh-!_ Was her last thought as there was a strange sense of being suspended in midair before gravity took it's toll.

_Oh my God, I'm actually going to die this time, _she thought morbidly. _I'll never see my friends again, my dad, I'll never figure out who-_

Once again, she was jolted out of her thoughts as the falling bus lurched to a stop. It was one of the strangest feelings she had experienced; knowing she was descending rapidly and then stopped by some unseen force.

"This is some tour," the old woman next to her chattered cheerily, snapping a picture of the scenery outside. It was then that the bus slowly started to rise again, like a hot air balloon. Speechless both physically and mentally, Videl watched in wonder as they kept ascending until they were slowly pushed back onto solid ground. The inside of the bus was deadly silent, not one sound being heard except for the odd clicking of a camera.

No one dared to speak, all of them to wrapped up in themselves, wondering what phenomenon had just occurred. A sharp intake of breath was heard as someone at the back cried, "It's Saiyaman! He saved us! It's really him!"

Without another word, people ran to the front of the bus to get out and greet their hero. Blinking owlishly, Videl peered over the seats to find the bus completely empty except for the old lady and the now unconcious gunner, who apparently had been trampled by the anxious stampede. She slowly stood up and walked out, finding a croud surrounding a panting Saiyaman, whose posture stated that he was worn out by the slouching of his shoulders and the heavy breaths he was taking in.

Shouldering her way through to the center, she cautiously went up to her green clad partner.

"Ah...did you really stop the bus from falling?" she asked, not quite believing the abnormal show of strength.

"Looks like it," he replied, scratching the back of his head with a grin. _Why did that seem so familiar?_

"I-I can't believe it. How?" She floundered about, not knowing quite what to ask.

"Lets just say that we should all be lucky that no one was hurt," he said, neatly side stepping her question.

"Aha! Look at the time! I trust that you will be able to fix everything here, Miss Videl?"

"Oh...sure. But-" she stopped, seeing that he had already shot up into the air and was heading back towards the city.

With another sigh, she plopped down onto the ground, the rush of emotions previously felt exhausting her. For some reason, she could only think of one thing: _Where have I seen that smile before?_

__

_(new)_

_Gah! That was close..._Gohan murmured internally, rubbing his arms as he flew. _That is the last time I ever catch a bus again...hehe...but how many times does this happen?_

A/N: WAAAH! I'm really sorry I took so long with this and that this chapter's really bad too. Once I got back from vacation, I caught a bad bug. Unfortunately, I also spent many an hour pondering what to write. I don't want to leave the fic, but I feel that...people don't like it? I'm not sure, but positive feedback would mean the world to me, literally.

Also, thankyou for such lovely reviews, I swear I get the warmest fuzzy feeling inside when it happens!


End file.
